Erik's Eyes
Author's note: I see everything as a musical in my mind. This is just a short songfic that popped into my head one day, and I thought it would be fun to share. It goes to the tune of "Lily's Eyes" from "The Secret Garden," so it's not completely original. Some of the words are the same as the words to the actual song, but most are variations on them. I wrote this when I was working on a phanpic novel that, at the time, I hoped to have published someday. Now I am planning to re-write it and post it on my author account here. By the time I've finished re-writing the story, it will be virtually unrecognizable, but it was honestly a rather poorly written, clichéd EC lovechild story. Although this is based on that old story, reading the longer story isn't needed to understand this one, because it's pretty self-explanatory. This little fic may make more sense if you know the tune to the original song. I have also added a bit of narration to try to make it more interesting. I do not claim to own either Phantom of the Opera or The Secret Garden, although I'd love to, but they are two of my favorite musicals. Please send me your reviews.
Setting: The chateau de Chagny 1881, nine months after the occurrences mentioned in Leroux's novel. The young countess now has her first child, a daughter named Marguerite. Despite her normal face, the baby reminds Christine of Erik in some ways, the most obvious of these being her glowing yellow eyes. We see a beautiful mansion surrounded by trees and a lovely rose garden. A gentle breeze is blowing, and Christine is standing on the balcony leaning on the railing and looking up at the moon and stars. She has come out wishing to speak with her Angel of Music, who she now knows to also be the father of her child, but believing that he is dead, she merely muses to herself, hoping that her Angel will hear the news of their child's birth from heaven.
Christine:
In the nighttime he calls to me.
Erik's voice rings in my head.
Standing, dreaming, I think of him.
I think of him.
When he left me, Erik vowed
He would remain close by my side.
In the darkness I feel him near.
I know he's here.
Now our view moves to a nearby window, sweeping us inside the room to see an anxious Raoul standing by a large mahogany desk in his study.
Raoul:
He haunts her even now.
Each night she hears his sighs.
And now we have a daughter with his eyes.
She has his eyes. Our child has Erik's fiery eyes.
Those eyes that loved Christine obsessively.
Those eyes that burned with hate and rage and lust for blood!
How can I love that child when she has Erik's eyes?
The view is changed again, moving out of the room and down the hall into the bedroom. The glass doors leading from the balcony open and Christine steps into the bedroom. She sits on the edge of the bed and gazes dreamily into a small wooden cradle, rocking it as she sings.
Christine:
She has his eyes. My babe has Erik's blazing eyes.
Those eyes which threaded life, yet shown with love.
Those eyes that yearned to hold me close, yet set me free!
How can I look at her and not see Erik's eyes?
Christine stands and moves back toward the balcony, looking out at the night sky but remaining inside the room.
In Erik's eyes a kingdom the Opera would to be.
And he, my bravest knight became. His lady fair was me.
Our view moves out of the balcony doors and down to the ground where Erik is gazing up at Christine, unseen. He sighs, wishing that he could make his presence known and be with his wife and daughter. Suddenly he smiles, realizing that Raoul will obviously notice that the baby's eyes look just like his and come to the conclusion that Marguerite is Erik's child. He is delighted to think of what that realization will do to his rival, as well as how it will comfort Christine, who clearly thinks that he is dead.
Erik:
She has my eyes. Christine's young daughter has my eyes.
What better way to torture young Chagny?
Each time he looks at Marguerite, he'll see my eyes!
That girl is living proof of Christine's love for me!
With triumphant stride, he begins to move away from the house, singing as he goes.
Imagine me, a lover.
Christine is now seen stepping back onto the balcony, but, as she is still gazing at the sky, she does not see Erik's departing shadow.
Christine:
I long for the day my Angel would return to me,
The view zooms out and we see both Erik and Christine as they sing this line together. He is still walking amongst the shadows of the trees surrounding the estate and she is still standing on the balcony. Both clasp their hands to their hearts, singing passionately.
Erik and Christine:
Would God had let me/him stay!
Now the screen splits into two parts. On the left half, we see Raoul. He is still in study. By now he is sitting on the edge of his desk. His hair is looking a bit bedraggled from raking his fingers through it repeatedly. Christine, who we see on the right half of the screen, is still standing on the balcony. These parts are sung at the same time, Raoul on the melody and Christine on a sort of descant.
Raoul:
She has his eyes! She has Erik's flaming eyes!
That monster sent her here to torment me!
How can I now forget that Christine dared to be
In love, alive, and whole in Erik's eyes?
In Erik's eyes!
Christine:
She has my Erik's golden eyes!
My angel sent her down to comfort me!
How can I now forget that once I dared to be
In love, alive, and whole in Erik's eyes?
In Erik's eyes!
As they hold out the last note together, the view returns to the lawn below and we see Erik, still striding away into the darkness, his cape swirling it the wind. He comes closer and closer until all that we see are his full black mask and his glowing yellow eyes. Then at the cut off the scene fades completely.